Throwback Thursday: Best Collaboration Stages Part 2
It’s not often that we see collaborations happen in K-Pop, especially when it comes to live performances. Often these uncommon stages occur during special music broadcast episodes that highlight milestones, or more often during the end-of-the-year music programs that are much more intricate and detailed. This week, we are going to continue looking at some of the best collaboration stages in K-Pop!
The R&B Duo - Zion.T and BTS’s Jungkook
We travel back to 2015’s KBS Song Festival for the sweet and absolutely lovely duet between famous R&B singer Zion.T and BTS’s maknae Jungkook. The two performed Zion.T’s hit song “Yanghwa Bridge,” with Zion.T focusing on the first verse and Jungkook on the second, with the two harmonizing for the remainder of the song. ARMYs know well that Jungkook is a big fan of Zion.T, and at the time of the performance his group hadn’t gained the massive recognition they have today, so the stage seemed almost like a dream for both him and fans alike. For a warm and comforting song to cozy up to, you’ll find nothing better than this special performance.
Smash Hit Soloists - TAEMIN and Sunmi
2017’s annual MAMA awards (this one, specifically, broadcast from the main stage in Hong Kong after it was decided to split the ceremony up into different cities) featured a collaboration stage between two of the biggest solo hits of the year, TAEMIN’s “Move” and Sunmi’s “Gashina.” While the two soloists performed the majority of their respective songs as normal, each featured the other during a portion of their song. There is nothing quite as powerful as this duo complementing each other throughout both “Gashina” and “Move.”
Battle of the Boys - Block B & BTS
Traveling back to MAMA in 2014, it’s a fact that BTS were still considered newbies and nicknamed “the next generation of K-Pop,” with the group facing off against veteran group Block B in a special stage. Labeled “the Fight of the Century,” the collaboration features main dancers B-Bomb, J-Hope, Jimin, and U-Kwon showcasing their talents in a street-style dance off. This performance is also legendary among K-Pop for the moment when Jimin rips his shirt open to reveal his six pack. Even if that is the most famous moment, we can’t forget ZICO and RM’s legendary rap performance!
Young Love - GFRIEND & SEVENTEEN
The amazing talents of both GFRIEND and SEVENTEEN were showcased in 2016’s MAMA, where the two groups joined forces to perform a medley of their hits from that year. The most memorable and outstanding portion of the performance came from their rendition of “Very Nice,” where the two groups finally came together to perform the choreography. We don’t often get to see a male and female group collaborate, so it was nice to see the storyline of each of the group’s songs come to life in a duo performance!